The Phantom of Inferno
by Tiny Birds
Summary: "You possess certain abilities you may not have been aware of. You have the talent to kill and the talent to survive; these are both skills and attributes of an assassin." AU/Summary inside. TROYELLA.
1. Awakening

**Phantom of Inferno**

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or Requiem for the Phantom. All original characters do not belong to me and all credit goes toward their rightful owners.**

**A/N: **This story was inspired by an anime I watched a while ago called "Phantom: Requiem For A Phantom". I saw this story come to life as the show progressed and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since. I really hope you guys enjoy it and feel free to leave any criticism. I am open to new ideas as well as what I could improve on. As of right now, the story is going to flow in a similar way to the anime until later chapters so bear with me.

**Synopsis: **Waking up in an abandoned room with no recollection of his former self, Troy Bolton vows to find out who he is—even if that knowledge kills him. What he discovers is more than he ever bargained for as he is thrown into a world full of drugs, sex, and death. How will he ever escape when 'escaping' is nowhere close to being an option?

Rated **T** for the moment but will be **M** rated in later chapters for drug use, suggestive language, violence, and sexually explicit content.

**Chapter One: **Awakening

_The world slipped by in a vivid blur as Troy Bolton ran for his life, looping in and out of alleyways to escape the undeniable fate that awaited him. His breath came out in short, forced puffs as he looked around for a place to hide, his arms and legs turning to jell-o while he forced himself to continue moving. The heavy burlap bag dangling around his shoulder only slowed him down, yet he could not find the will to let go of it. The gunshots echoed in his head as he felt a frightened tear make its way down his cheek, his hands clutching at his bag as if it were his lifeline—and in a sense, it was. Whatever had been handed to him moments before was so vital that he knew he had to somehow get it to the police before it was too late._

_Troy couldn't believe it; he couldn't fathom what he had seen. His mind raced at an incredible speed as he tried to grasp the fact that he was in serious danger. His hands scraped along the brick walls as he used them to push himself in different directions, trying in vain to throw off his pursuer._

_He had just witnessed a murder._

_The heinous execution had been performed in front of his very eyes. He couldn't shake the mental image of the victim's blood as it slowly pooled around his lifeless body like a crimson halo, soaking his clothes as his eyes stared blankly towards the sky, unmoving. He felt his mind wandering back to the image of the girl who stood over him so casually, holding the instrument that led to that poor man's demise. He felt his blood run cold as the girl noticed his presence and slowly turned her head in his direction, all but her eyes hidden behind a plain white masquerade mask._

_Her eyes lacked any emotion and shone under the dim streetlight as she stared him down as if waiting for him to say something. Troy gasped as he heard the gun in her hand click and watched as her arm raised and pointed the gun in his direction. Without warning, she fired twice, both shots landing in the wall behind him. Troy felt a sting as one of the bullets grazed his cheek and instantly concluded that he could not talk his way out of this._

_That hadn't been an illusion. The blood that trickled down the side of his face confirmed that._

_The darkening sky loomed over him menacingly as he hurriedly tried to find a place to hide. His eyes shown with desperation as he caught sight of an abandoned warehouse and quickly darted under the loose boards that were hung inside of a door frame. Dropping his burlap bag to the ground, Troy slumped over, his chest heaving as he let out his breath in a slow _whoosh_._

_"What am I doing?" He whispered to himself as he sat there, not daring to move any further. Troy tore a dirty, scraped hand through his hair, pushing the sweat-drenched, tawny locks away from his eyes quickly. As he allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark, he felt himself tense up at the sound of the oncoming storm. The unmistakable sounds of thunder claps echoed throughout the building and he listened as rain began to pelt the ground in a hard, staccato rhythm._

I need to find a smaller room to sit in, _he thought as he forced himself to rise from his resting spot. _It isn't safe here.

_Throwing his bag over his shoulder once more, he trudged around the dark building as quietly as he could, all the while keeping in mind to be aware of any unusual sounds. Locating a room at the very back of the warehouse, Troy set his belongings down and closed the door behind him, feeling blessed to see that the door contained a lock. His only source of light was the flicker of lightning as it briefly illuminated the dusty room. The walls contained cracks and the wooden floors were worn and scratched, the floorboards groaned under his weight as he slid down the wall and buried his face in his hands._

What am I going to do? _He wondered silently. His eyes flickered over to the bag that lay on the floor in a discarded heap. _I can't stay here forever. She'll find me and then I'll end up like that man in the alley.

_Clenching his hands into fists, he punched the ground in frustration and winced as one of his knuckles scraped against a discarded piece of glass. Blood trickled down the back of his hand and he stared at it unseeingly, wondering what would become of him now. Letting his head hit the wall behind him with a dull thud, he closed his eyes while feeling his heart beat rapidly in his throat. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he rested his forehead upon his forearms in an attempt to calm himself._

_He began to feel drowsy and fought to stay awake, knowing that his attempts were in vain. Shaking his head, he finally opted on sleep. As soon as he woke up, he would move again. That was the plan._

Just for a little while. I'll rest and then I'll be alright to move again. I just need rest.

_Troy's lids felt heavy as he let the darkness finally consume him._

**幻影**

Waking up with a start, Troy sat up and felt his heart begin to pound rapidly in his chest as he took in his surroundings. A single bulb hung from the ceiling and judging from the light it emitted, it was only a matter of time before it burned out. Looking around, he noticed he was in a small room that contained a single mahogany dresser with a tiny mirror that hung over the top of it, dangling carelessly from a flimsy nail. The walls were bare with the exception of a few cracks and cobwebs and the floor was made entirely of cement. Underneath him, he was surprised to feel a soft, plush bed as his fingertips hesitantly brushed against it.

_Who am I? _Troy wondered, his eyes still scanning the room as if he were looking for something that would give him his answer. He glanced towards the mirror and stared in awe at the person who greeted his gaze with a mesmerized expression of his own. The guy in the mirror was wearing what appeared to be a white hospital gown and black slacks underneath. His hair was thrown about in a rave of messy, sandy locks that contrasted with his startling cobalt blue eyes.

_That's me. _He realized. Squinting, he couldn't come up with anything else to confirm his identity. _At least, I think it is. Why can't I remember anything?_

Something wasn't right.

This room was not familiar to him in the least and he found himself suddenly standing, looking for a way out. Taking a few steps, he cried out when his head began to throb violently and he dropped down to his knees in a pathetic attempt to get it to stop. Desperate hands clutched at his head as he gasped his eyes squeezing shut in agony as constant flashes of white pain shone behind his lids.

_My skull feels like it's on fire! _

As quickly as it came, the dull throbbing suddenly went away and was replaced by a numbing sensation. Remaining on his knees, Troy looked over to find a bag thrown haphazardly on the floor next to the dresser and crawled over to it afraid that if he stood the pain would come back. His hands brushed over the material gingerly and he wondered why it felt so familiar to him. Before he could contemplate any further, he whirled around at the sound of pipes clattering noisily to the cement floor and finally stood, taking hesitant steps towards the door. When he was positive he was fully okay, he strode over to the door confidently and grabbed the handle.

* * *

><p>"The test subject has been stabilized, sir." A man in a white lab coat observed as they watched said test subject on a computer monitor. The two men stared at the screen and watched as Subject 17 surveyed the room, trying to find a way to open the door that had been purposely locked from the outside. They watched as he used a pipe as a type of wedge to pry the knob from its hinges and slowly slink down the corridor, his back close to the wall. Suddenly, he stopped mid-step and left his foot dangling in the air as a black rat scurried underneath, its tail dragging noiselessly behind it.<p>

The man behind the computer screen was astounded at the readings.

"His ability to assess is unbelievable; it's currently at a .074. His waking rate is at a .087 and still rising. What's really amazing is that this boy has only been awake for a few moments. How did you happen upon him, Doctor?" The said man tore his eyes away from the screen to acknowledge his colleague. His glasses reflected the light from the monitor, making it hard to read his facial expression.

"Let's just say…it was by chance." He replied mysteriously, his gaze shifting back to the screen as they watched their test subject stalk around the halls more confidently as his readings showed he was now on high alert. The doctor nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a slight poke of his index finger before tapping onto his earpiece. He knew the receiver on the other end would be listening intently, waiting for their orders.

"Phantom, it is time to initiate Phase Two of the awakening. I want you to attack him but go easy on him for the time being. If he really has the potential I seek, I want to be sure our subject is able to carry out my wishes to their fullest and possible extent. After all, he is our newest gem. Do not fail me." He felt a smirk make its way onto his lips as he caught a glimpse of his Phantom's shadow quickly pass behind the test subject.

It wasn't long before he heard the reply that made him smile in appreciation. She never failed to do that.

"Yes, master."

* * *

><p>Troy gulped as he rounded another corner that led into a dimly lit hallway. With no flashlight and no sort of hint as to where he was, he was a sitting duck if anything were to come out at him. Gripping the pipe in his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white, he walked cautiously and checked behind him ever so often. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead as he tried to keep as calm as possible, his breath coming out in silent little puffs. The groans of the building and the eerie draft that never failed to send chills down his spine set him on edge, his awareness now at its peak as he made himself listen to the faintest of sounds an oblivious person wouldn't have even picked up on.<p>

His shoes, as dirty and well-worn as they were, didn't make a sound as he stepped over a few boxes in the middle of the hallway. Just then, the sonance of a gun clicking behind him stopped Troy dead in his tracks. Turning around slowly, he felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw her. Her raven locks fell in a craze down her back, spilling over her shoulders. She wore a red fitted tank top that showed a bit of her midriff over a black, pleated mini skirt. Her fishnet stockings and combat boots completed the look, making her give off a deadly vibe as she slowly raised her face up to him. Troy froze as their eyes made contact.

_That mask! Where have I seen that mask before? _Troy felt his eyes widen in horror as it dawned on him. _That…that's the girl I saw in my dream! What is she doing here? Am I dreaming still? _Troy was quickly snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the glint of metal in her hand.

Taking a step back, he began to shake his head as if he couldn't believe it was all real. The girl across from him cocked the gun, pointing it towards him without saying a word. Her eyes were bottomless pits of nothing as she showed him no mercy.

"Stop, please! You don't have to do this." Troy tried to reason with her, unsure of whether the odds were with or against him at that point. "I-I don't know what I did or why I'm here but what ever it is, I promise I won't tell. Honest. I don't remember anything. Please, just don't—," The girl's harsh voice interrupted his banter.

"If you want to live, then come at me with everything you've got." That was all the warning Troy needed as she started to fire one, two, three bullets in his direction. Managing to quickly evade them all, Troy ran to take cover and noted in horror that she was following him at a very quick pace, not once breaking her gaze from his retreating form. She fired another round of bullets in his direction, only stopping when she needed to reload.

"Please, just listen to me. I don't know what is going on here! I promise you that. I don't even know who I am and I—," Once again, the girl interrupted him, her voice cold and apathetic as she stared him down from where he hid behind a metal shelf.

"Live or die. It is your choice. Do you run or do you fight? It is time you try to make your decision quickly before I, in turn, do it for you. Now, choose!" She shrieked the last part as she fired another set of bullets in his direction and Troy ran as fast as he could and disappeared down the hall.

Panting, he fell down a ramp and landed heavily on his back, knocking the wind clear out of himself. Dazed and afraid, Troy got up as quickly as he could and found himself in a large, dank storage building. The only source of light was the moonlight that shone dully through the dusty windows of the hangar. Checking behind him to make sure he'd lost her, he sat down to catch his breath, his hands shaking from the built up adrenaline.

Who was that girl and what did she mean about him choosing? Did he really have a choice or was she giving him a sense of false hope? Troy pondered on his possibilities at that point. He could live and fight like she said or he could die right then and there. What was the point of living if he had no clue who he was or even where he was from? What was life without that simple knowledge?

Troy sighed, realizing the odds were never in his favor to begin with.

_Live or die is what she said,_ he thought warily as he stared at his grime smeared hands. _If I live, what will I do? What will I become? Will I escape from here and be granted my old life or will they kill me on the spot?_

He heard the gun before he saw her and looked up with sullen eyes as all of his questions were answered in that one moment.

_There's no escape._

"There's no escape." The girl spoke his thoughts out loud as she cocked the .22 revolver at his forehead, her hazel eyes revealing no emotion as she pulled back the hammer. At the last second, she moved her gun and shot around his feet, causing him to jump up and move to the side to avoid being hit. She seemed to glide across the ground as her swift movements caught Troy by surprise causing him to duck and dodge her quick attacks. He swung the metal pipe in his hand, narrowly missing her head as she sidestepped out of the way and kicked his wrist, disarming him.

Throwing away her gun and taking out two bowie knives, she surprised him when she threw one in his direction. Staring at her incredulously, he held the blade in his hands, watching as the light reflected off it to shine on the mask that still covered the girl's face. He noticed two blue markings that were painted underneath the eyeholes, resembling a cascade of tears. The girl began to circle him like an animal stalking their prey. Her movements were slow and deliberate like she was daring him to make the first move.

Raising her blade to him, she gave him a cold stare before uttering almost silent words.

"If you don't want to die, you must fight." She slashed her way to him, jabbing and swiping as they danced around the hangar, their grunts of exertion the only sounds in the dark room. As her master had ordered, she wasn't allowed to go all out on him. Only to test him; to see if he were truly worthy of such a life he would be put into. Troy ducked and dodged with a little difficulty, trying hard not to lose his footing. He swiped at her and was surprised when she caught his wrist in her hand before hitting him in the side of the neck with her other wrist, effectively stunning him. As he leaned forward to gasp, the side of his face met her knee with full force and he staggered upward while feeling pain in his chest as she moved him halfway across the room with a swift blow of her hand. His back hit a metal pole and he slumped forward, his entire body wracked with pain.

I_ don't know who I am or where I'm from. I don't even know what I did yesterday; my head hurts too much to think about it. But even with my lack of knowledge, I still want to live. _The realization hit Troy so hard, he felt his eyes widen in surprise. Staggering to his feet, he draped the hospital gown over his right hand and moved toward his opponent once more. He watched her through his bangs as she stood there, contemplating on what to do next.

_Even if I don't know anything, even if I will never know anything about my life ever again, at least I still have this; this opportunity to start over. I want this._

The Phantom flipped the dagger around so the blade was facing downward and leaped into the air, not causing a stir in Troy as she swept her arm down in a perfect arc to deliver the finishing blow. He caught the blade in his sheathed hand and threw her off balance, causing them both to fall over. Troy yanked the knife from her grip and slashed viciously at her face. He paled at the sight before him.

A part of her mask fell away to reveal the most startling pair of chestnut brown eyes he had ever seen. They shone with such curiosity and sympathy as she stared at him, the rest of her mask falling away from her flawless face. Her lips were a rosy pink, appearing so supple and soft. Her cheeks were void of any color but Troy could still see the hint of a blush slowly rising on her cheeks as the intensity of his stare seemed to get to her. Black silky strands of hair fell across her face, the rest of her hair creating a thick halo around her head as she stared into his eyes from beneath him.

Her facial expression quickly became stoic as she cleared her throat and looked away, her eyes staring off into the darkness.

"Very good," she spoke suddenly, breaking Troy out of his trance as he quickly made his way off of her. She sat up and cocked her head to one side, looking at him as if seeing him for the first time that night. "Your skills have proven to be quite admirable, you will do great for the Organization."

Troy stared at her with questioning eyes as what she said began to sink in.

_This was all a test?_

A faint clapping sound was heard in the distance and Troy looked around as he tried to depict the noise from his current surroundings. He allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark and spotted a white clad figure slowly approaching him and the girl that still sat on the ground at his feet. The man grinned and seemed to be nodding in approval; all the while keeping a steady applause going. He wore a long lab coat that hung down to the back of his knees and a seemingly casual pair of black pants. On his feet, he wore a sophisticated pair of black leather shoes that dully reflected the moonlight. Square-rimmed glasses clung to the bridge of his nose as his eyes were hidden from view and the smirk on his face only grew wider when Troy took a fighting stance against him, blade raised.

The man put his hands up in mock surrender and gave a dark chuckle, the top half of his face hidden in shadow.

"Now, now. Let's not get violent, shall we? I am simply here to commemorate your achievement. After all, you were up against a pretty formidable foe." The man spoke in a mocking tone, his hands lowering ever so slightly as he began to approach Troy once more, allowing his face to fully come into view. Despite his clothes, the man before Troy had a surprisingly youthful look to him. His strikingly platinum blonde hair was slicked back and his piercing green eyes bore a hole into Troy as he analyzed the subject before him.

"Who the hell are you and just what the fuck is this place?" Troy spit, his eyes flashing dangerously as he raised his knife even higher as a silent warning to get the guy to back away. The man didn't even budge. With a flick of his wrist, he snatched the knife out of Troy's hand and threw it across the dark room, the sound of metal on cement echoed throughout the hangar as the knife skidded off into the shadows. Troy backed away, his face revealing his fear as his eyes darted from side to side, wondering if there was a way to get out.

"Calm down. I am not here to hurt you. You will learn the answers you seek in due time but for right now, we have a lot of work to do." The man glanced down and his facial expression changed to one of concern as he kneeled down beside the fallen girl, placing his hand on her cheek gingerly as he stared into her eyes.

"Ein," he called to her, his voice a harsh whisper. "Are you alright, my pet?" The pad of his thumb caressed her cheek slowly as 'Ein' slowly became aware of where she was once more. Managing a slight nod, she rose from her resting spot and stood next to Troy who in turn looked at her with an unreadable expression.

The girl showed no emotion as she glanced at him before turning her face away; her hair quickly flowed down to hide it behind a black curtain. Aside from her demeanor, Troy couldn't help it as he felt his heart tug in a way he had never felt before. He wanted to reach out to her, to talk to her somehow. She appeared so lonely in that moment and Troy couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to hold her protectively in his arms from whatever was haunting her. His fists clenched at his sides as he decided against his instincts and held his ground, not knowing where his strong desires were coming from.

_She just tried to kill me and yet _I'm _the one feeling sorry for her. How fucked up can I get?_

The man beside Ein cleared his throat, shaking Troy out of his daze. Pushing the rim of his glasses to the top of his nose, the guy strolled over to Troy, his hands tucked into the pockets of his lab coat.

"Well then, my new gem. You appear worthy enough for this grand opportunity," the guy motioned with his arms, gesturing at nothing in particular. He smiled a genuine smile that made his eyes sparkle with hidden knowledge. "I hope you enjoy what we have in store for you. We will train you, feed you, clothe you, and house you. In turn, all we ask is that you complete your tasks for us in a timely manner alongside Ein. Together, the two of you will be a force to be reckoned with in the hands of Inferno."

"Welcome to the Organization, Zwei."

**幻影**

Troy lay on his bed, sheltering his eyes with the crook of his arm as the day's events ran through his head. He grimaced as he recalled the man who had introduced himself as Scythe and thought about how he had so casually took Ein by the hand and guided her away. She had followed without a moment's hesitation as if she were under a spell. She hadn't even spared him a glance as she and Scythe both disappeared in the darkness, his voice calling out to Troy.

"_There will a car waiting for you just outside the building, Zwei. Go with the driver and see your new home. Ein will accompany you shortly should you need her assistance."_

That had been a few hours ago.

When he'd arrived, he had decided to give himself his own personal tour of his new loft. It seemed like the only normal thing that had happened to him in the past forty-eight hours. Troy had to admit the apartment was much nicer than anything he felt that he could ever afford in this lifetime. A chandelier hung from delicate golden chains in the sitting room, the waxed wooden floors reflecting the pink-orange light of the rising sun. Walking into the kitchen, he was taken aback by the amount of décor that took place in that one room alone.

The smoky gray granite countertops contrasted with the midnight black marble floor and he took note at how many coverts there were before moving on to the bedroom that he and Ein would share. The room was relatively small but held two queen-sized beds, one on either side of the room. Troy felt the plush carpet under his feet as he scuffled around the room, taking note that there was only one closet and one night stand that stood between the two beds.

He had lain there for what seemed like hours upon hours until finally he heard the door to the apartment open and removed his arm to find Ein peeking in through the door at him. He stared at her as she slowly made her way to the foot of his bed, not breaking eye contact as she stood there with her arms down by her sides. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail that waved and curled carelessly down her back. Her outfit had changed dramatically; the combat boots had been replaced with sandals and the shirt and skirt had been discarded for a regular long sleeved white t-shirt with gray short shorts.

Troy found himself awkwardly looking down at the pair of plain boxers and wife beater he was wearing. He suddenly felt very overexposed and sat up to compose himself as she cleared her throat.

"You don't have to be scared of me, I won't attack you anymore." She kicked off her sandals nonchalantly as she made a move to sit down, her back to the door as she sat crossed leg on his bed.

"Who are you?" Shaking his head, he rephrased his question. "I meant, who am I? Are you now going to tell me what is going on?"

Her chestnut brown eyes flickered briefly before they went back to nothing as she began to speak in a soft, wary voice.

"I no longer have a name but you can call me Ein if you need to; that is what I am now known as. From what master has already told you, I'm sure you know the entire ordeal by this point. You have been chosen to be a part of a very elite group of people. We are known as Inferno." Ein spoke steadily while never breaking eye contact with Troy. She saw him visibly flinch at the mention of the Organization's name but paid no mind as she continued.

"From this day forward, you will now be known as Zwei."

"Wait, hold on a second! You cannot just give me a name and expect me to lie down and take it." He gritted his teeth as he felt himself become agitated rather quickly. This wasn't how he wanted the conversation to go. "Tell me, Ein, why did you attack me?"

Her eyes shifted to the single open window in the room as she watched the sun begin to peek over the trees that surrounded their apartment. Ein felt herself being put at ease as she listened to the birds chirp wholeheartedly, their songs of morning ringing throughout the room. Looking back at "Zwei", she realized he had been waiting for an answer.

"I was told to verify your talent."

"What talent?" Troy asked, confusion evident in his tone.

_What talent could I possibly have that would make these people choose me?_

"You possess certain abilities you may not have been aware of. You have the talent to kill and the talent to survive; these are both skills and attributes of an assassin."

Troy's eyes widened as he stared at the girl, a part of him wondering if this was just a joke even though the other part knew for sure that it wasn't. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding slowly and began to shake his head, trying to rid himself of his thoughts.

"No way." He whispered numbly. Standing up, he began to pace the room, his head downcast as Ein returned her stare towards the window. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face her, his muscles tensing as his fists clenched at his sides.

"But...this doesn't make any sense. What the hell makes you guys think that about me anyway?" He nearly shouted as an angry sigh made its way out of his throat. He ran frantic fingers through the tangled mass of his hair as he desperately tried to move it away from his eyes.

"Because you tried very hard to kill me." She stated simply, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips as she noticed his disturbed expression. "In your situation, ordinary people would have frozen up and hesitated and thus would have been killed on the spot. You were different. You took charge and acted on your instincts before fully understanding the predicament you were in. And you survived. You fought for your life and you won, Zwei."

"Zwei..." he muttered the name for the first time and immediately decided he hated it.

"Why don't you call me by my real name? It's—it's," he paused, trying to figure out what his name was. "My name is—,"

She gave him a look of disdain as she slowly shook her head in disapproval.

"You're wasting your time. Forget about that name and the life you once lived. It is all irrelevant now." She spoke as if this were something she recited on a day-to-day basis. Standing up, she made her way past Troy and into their living room, knowing Troy was right behind her.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"All of your memories have been erased by Inferno. It is no use trying to dwell on a past you cannot even recall. Besides, not knowing makes our job...bearable." Her voice lowered to a soft, distant whisper as she leaned against the cool countertop, her eyes closing in thought.

His legs began to shake as Troy could no longer stand on his own to feet and quickly seated himself in a chair. He put his head in his hands and slumped over in defeat. How had his life spiraled so out of control in such a short time?

_This can't be happening. I—no. I can't be an assassin._

Ein opened her eyes to look over at his lean form and felt her heart wretch painfully as she heard him let out a dry sob. Walking over to him silently she laid a small, delicate hand on his back and rubbed soothingly. The gesture had been unanticipated and Troy stiffened under the sudden contact but then relaxed as she continued her motions. Moving her hand down to his covered face, she moved his bangs away and waited for him to look up at her. When he did, she ran a finger down his cheek before moving her hand away entirely.

"Zwei, I know you did not choose this. But this is the way it has to be." Her voice held a shred of sympathy that didn't go unnoticed as she turned to walk away. "Your life will only go on from here. What you choose to do will be your choice alone. Make the wrong choice and it will cost you your life."

_My life._

"Le nostre anime non possono essere salvate. We work in the dark to serve the light. We are the unseen; we live to kill and kill to survive. We are assassins." Ein stopped by the door that led to their shared bedroom, looking back at Troy with eyes that held years worth of knowledge. "That is what we go by, Zwei. Our world now and forever will be revolved around Inferno."

_Inferno._

"You will eat, sleep, dress, and talk the way Inferno tells you. You are no longer a free man. Hold your tongue in the presence of our superiors...unless you have a death wish. Now get some rest, we have a long day ahead of us." The door to their room closed behind her and Troy was left to revel in his own thoughts.

_My life is no longer my own. I have nothing to go back to should I try to escape. Ein,_ he cast a glance to their room before turning to look out of one of the living room's grand windows. _You were captured just as I was, I'm guessing. How long have you been under Inferno's influence? How long did it take you to accept your lifestyle?_

Troy hadn't noticed when he'd stood nor did he take notice to the fact that he was now laying on the couch, his arm splayed over his face to block out the morning sun. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose, the scent of the dense forest that surrounded their secluded apartment soothing his senses. He felt himself slipping faster than he would have liked as sleep took its claim over him, his body and his mind at war with the other as one wanted to stay awake while the other complied to the beast wholeheartedly.

Zwei had officially been awakened.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Alright! That's the end of the first chapter. 9 pages/5,887 words [in Times New Roman, 10pt. font might I add] later and this is what I came up with. I hope you guys enjoyed what little I gave you and I really hope I get a lot of reviews. Just a few things for clarification reasons before I get questions on them. Okay, so I'm pretty sure some of you probably guessed who Ein is but I'm positive you're wondering why I made her so OOC. I know some people absolutely hate that so please forgive me but this is not supposed to be a story full of happy jolliness. As I explained in the synopsis, this story is going to be dark and brutal and full of angst and maybe even a little romance here and there.

Ein (Ayn) and Zwei (Sfay) [AY being pronounced as an _I_sound] are both numbers, meaning one and two in German. Those are the names that were given to the OCs in the anime so I decided to stick with them simply because I couldn't think of anything better. (Scythe is pronounced as Sithe, by the way). Now don't worry, I will include the other people from HSM in this story but for the time being, it is going to be centered around those two until I can think of a way to include the other characters into it.

Also, I used a bit of Italian in there if anyone noticed, haha. Although, I kind of cheated and used Google translate because, heh, well I don't really remember much of what I learned back in high school. (Sheepish shrug). The saying roughly means, "Our souls cannot be saved." And the quote itself is from a video game I played called Assassin's Creed. [Awesome, awesome game if anyone wants to check it out for PS3/Xbox 360. Very enjoyable].

Please, please review and if you have any questions or suggestions feel free to let me know of anything you would like to see. I do not care if you flame me, also. If you absolutely hate this story then that is your opinion and I respect everyone's opinions. Although, I do ask that you do not insult me directly because that will hurt my feelings. But anyway, I'm rambling. I hope to see you guys in the next chapters to come!

Bye!


	2. Training

**Phantom of Inferno**

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or Requiem for the Phantom. All original characters do not belong to me and all credit goes toward their rightful owners.**

**A/N: **I'm on spring break so I decided to get a head start on this chapter just to see where it takes me. I know it's probably overkill to post two chapters short of one another in just a few days but I can't help but want to continue this. I will do public replies for my reviewers at the end of the chapter so look out for it if I mention your name!

**Synopsis: **Waking up in an abandoned room with no recollection of his former self, Troy Bolton vows to find out who he is—even if that knowledge kills him. What he discovers is more than he ever bargained for as he is thrown into a world full of drugs, sex, and death. How will he ever escape when 'escaping' is nowhere close to being an option?

Rated **T** for the moment but will be **M** rated in later chapters for drug use, suggestive language, violence, and sexually explicit content.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two: <strong>Training

"I hear Scythe has found a new toy." Sharpay Evans, CEO and leading lady of Inferno commented nonchalantly, her platinum blonde hair bouncing jubilantly behind her as she made her way to her office. That morning, she had decided to don a magenta blazer over a creamy white silk shirt that hung dangerously low in the front along with a matching skirt that had a slit that ran up the side of her right thigh. Her shirt hid nothing to the imagination as her voluptuous assets threatened to spill over at any given moment. She wore nude pumps that accentuated her long, smooth legs as she moved with grace and elegance around the corporal building.

Alongside her, Taylor McKessie scoffed in annoyance, causing her to smirk at her lifelong friend's verbal disapproval. The two of them were considered high up among their colleagues in the organization; although Taylor was merely Sharpay's bodyguard. She wore a black, button up blazer over a simple white top with matching black dress pants with low ankle boots. She wore her hair in a stylish pixie cut that had been slicked down in the back and subtly spiked on top.

"What's wrong, Taylor? I thought you long since approved of Scythe and his views of our future Utopia?" Sharpay asked, her voice mocking as she nudged Taylor with her shoulder playfully. The woman beside her scowled and shook her head but returned the gesture wholeheartedly as the two made their way to Sharpay's office, which thankfully had been vacated since they were last there.

"Shar, you know I don't trust that man. He's a sadistic little snake, using our Phantom as some kind of puppet." Taylor stated bluntly. For years, she had been trying to get Sharpay to leave the organization with her so they could start anew but each and every time, Sharpay had declined.

"That sadistic little snake you speak of _is_ my boss, you know." She replied absentmindedly as she unlocked the door to her office and walked in, setting the folders she held down on her desk before sitting down with a huff in her chair.

Taylor closed the door behind them and walked over to the window that over looked the city of Miami, Florida. The streets were busier than ever due to the morning rush hour as taxis and buses horns blared throughout the town, their drivers growing impatient at the stalled traffic. Vendors and pedestrians crowded the equally busy sidewalks, all ranging from children to adults as they hurried along to make it to where they were going.

Running a fine manicured hand through her loose curls, Sharpay looked at the file that had been sent to her office a few days before. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at the document that contained Inferno's new recruit's identity. Everything ranging from his birth certificate to his high school diploma had been crammed into a manila folder that had been marked with a single dash.

_He's gorgeous_, she thought as her eyes roamed over his state identification card. Glancing over at his name, she began to develop a plan in her head. She closed her eyes and smiled a little, humming as she put the manila folder and its contents into her briefcase. It would only be a matter of time before she met him. Everything needed to be perfect.

"Until then, Troy Bolton."

* * *

><p>The musty, dark room obstructed Troy's senses as he moved around cautiously, trying to avoid anything that would make too much of a ruckus. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead and cheeks as he raised his blade and hid behind a corner, ready to surprise his pursuer. He spun around the corner and was instantly met with a fierce slap that sent him sprawling on the floor, holding his stinging cheek as he looked up at his attacker. Ein stood over him, her knife poised and ready to strike. She looked at him coldly before dropping her arm, allowing it to swing weightlessly by her side.<p>

"What were you trying to do?" She asked her icy tone sending a shiver down his spine as he rubbed his cheek and stood up. She cocked her head to the side slightly, making her ponytail swing behind her.

"Were you trying to greet me? Maybe even embrace me? Do you not realize that what you were doing was the fastest way to getting your throat cut?" She gestured with her wielded hand causing Troy to take a step back. He shook his head and muttered an apology.

It had been a month since Inferno had taken him under their wing—or rather took him against his will. After hearing he had the potential to become one of Inferno's greatest assassins alongside the organization's well known Phantom, he resisted—at first. That was until Ein had promised him if he refused to work, she would finish what they both had started and finish him off right there.

After little thought, Troy complied and was instantly thrown into grueling workouts that had him teetering on the brink of exhaustion. It hadn't taken long to break his spirit much to the surprise of Ein. Every night he would stay up, his eyes glazed over and unblinking as he stared at a random spot in the room. And each day he would become more distant from himself, speaking even less than he had the day before.

Troy never imagined his training would have been this brutal, not in a million years. The long, sleepless nights and ruthless daily workouts had him on edge, his sanity and morality both wearing thin. Sleep deprivation along with growing muscle pains kept him from performing his tasks to their fullest extent; Ein let him know of this each and every time. He wore the same outfit every day —a black wife beater, black pants, and black combat boots. On his hands he wore fingerless gloves that he used for his combat training, along with knee and elbow pads that hung to him a little too tightly.

Ein had given him this outfit the day after they had begun his training. He recalled looking at her as she turned her back to him, motioning for him to get dressed. Her voice was hard as she casted a glance behind her.

"_Wear those. From this point on, I will be with you everywhere you go. You will do as I say and nothing less, you got that?"_

She had said it with such force Troy knew he couldn't have objected even if he wanted to. There was no such thing as a yes or no question here; he had no choice. The days were hot and unrelenting, the Miami heat unwavering as he did a series of core training along with intense cardio workouts. As the days progressed, Troy's demeanor had been broken down to virtually nothing as his training became even more difficult. She watched as he struggled with his endurance training, his breathing coming out in ragged gasps as he collapsed in front of her. Their previous conversations kept echoing in his head as he laid there, his sweat pouring down only to quickly evaporate as they hit the hard concrete.

"_Why are we doing this?"_

"_You can only get better if you train."_

"_How will I train?"_

"_Every morning at the break of dawn, you will be out here training until I say stop. Close combat, marksmanship, endurance—you name it. All are needed in order to become a well-disciplined assassin."_

Placing a blindfold over his eyes, she informed him of his next task.

"It's to test your balance." She stated simply as she guided him over to a well that had long since been dried up. Helping him onto it, she instructed him to raise one of his legs up and keep it in the air for as long as he possibly could. As she expected, he didn't last long as he fell face first onto the ground, holding his shoulder in pain. Shaking her head, she gave a disheartened sigh before helping him onto his feet.

"Keeping steady is vital at times where you're going to be given a sniping assignment. If your aim is off, even by an inch, you could compromise your mission and alert your target of your presence." Removing the blindfold from his eyes, she gave him a stern look before brushing his hair away from his dirt streaked face.

"When you're out pursuing your contract it is not about just going in and getting the kill. The key to a successful mission lies in your approach, the style in which you eliminate your target, and the amount of time it takes you to do so."

Troy simply nodded as she began to check his shoulder, making sure he hadn't dislocated it in any way. Her cool fingers tentatively brushed over his dampened skin as she poked around for anything that felt out of place. Her hair had been hastily pulled up into a messy bun and strands that didn't want to stay put fell in a wavy craze around her face and Troy again found himself resisting the urge to brush her hair away.

"Good, you're not seriously injured." Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts as she took a step back. "It's just some minor bruising, you'll be fine. Now, let's go. We need to work on your shooting."

The sun had begun to set as they both made their way around the back of the warehouse. Troy noticed there were old oil barrels that were scattered about a good one-hundred yards away from where they stood. Pulling her gun out of the holder strapped to her thigh, she flipped it around so the grip was facing Troy while the muzzle was held smugly in her hand. He took hold of the gun and was surprised it was heavier than he had previously thought. The steel felt warm to the touch and his eyes roamed over the slick design of the cylinder and barrel.

"Now raise the gun and get into position." He followed her orders as he positioned the gun in his right hand, cradling it with his left. "Your arms are stiff; you need to relax. Do not put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. And don't focus on your shoulders or your arms; you need to focus on the fingers that hold the gun."

Ein moved closer to him, placing her hands over his as she corrected his positioning. She moved one of her hands to rest on his upper arm as she began to speak, directing his attention to the gun.

"This is the front sight; you aim by looking at the front sight through the notch in the rear sight." She moved her right hand under his right wrist as she moved it upward a little more. "Stretch your right arm out and then pull with your left arm when you are stabilized. And even then, you should focus on your hands, not your arms. Your arms are the stabilizers; they do not determine whether you get the shot off or not." She removed her hands from his arms and took a step back.

Troy felt his hands begin to quiver as he moved his forefinger over the trigger. Readying his stance, he followed Ein's directions and took aim at the bricks that were positioned upright on top of the old oil barrels.

"Stay calm and squeeze the trigger. Do not rush it, Zwei." A gentle breeze had picked up, making her soft voice seem miles away. Troy readied his stance, his breath hitching in his throat as he cleared his mind of all thought.

"Now fire."

_Hit the target._

Troy obediently squeezed the trigger and the gun in his hands roared to life as one, two, three shots rang out. The bricks fell back as they were pummeled with bullets, some breaking apart while others simply fell backward. His shots were slow and imprecise and his hands trembled as they became unsteady once again. He emptied the cylinder and lowered his gun, looking over at Ein who had been staring at him intently while he practiced. She reached over and removed the gun from his limp hand and gave him a small nod of approval.

"At this distance, you shouldn't miss a shot. After we work on your precision, we will work on your speed." She flipped the cylinder release switch and allowed the empty shells to fall to the ground. Replacing the cylinder with a new round of bullets, she took dead aim and fired at expert speed. Troy watched in astonishment as the bricks broke apart one by one, the bullets never missing their intended target.

_What the—_

"Your goal is six shots in four seconds. Focus on hitting your targets every time." She handed him the gun and went back to her spot. "Do it again."

_Do it again. _

That was all he knew how to do. Perform, fail, repeat; the routine hadn't seemed to tire itself out yet. He stayed in that same spot for hours, the incoming storm not halting his attempts to obtain perfection. The rain poured heavily, drenching him and Ein to the bone. But he still refused to stop. Empty shells clattered to the ground and slowly began to pile at his feet as he continued to train himself, focusing on nothing but his hands and the gun he held in them.

"You're still too slow," Ein spoke suddenly, causing him to halt. "You can hit the targets now but you'll be dead before you empty the chamber. You need to speed up. Remember, six shots—four seconds."

He cast her a glance before averting his attention back to his sights.

"Do it again."

* * *

><p>Sharpay's silver Lamborghini rolled into the parking lot and skidded to a stop as she and Taylor arrived at their boss's apartment. The night air was humid and thick as the two ladies stepped out of the car and made their way into the high rise apartment complex. Sharpay rolled her eyes as they approached Scythe's door and knocked once to signal that they were there.<p>

"The door is open." A faint voice called from the other side. Opening the door, Sharpay wasn't surprised to see Scythe at his desk, typing away at the keyboard feverishly as he worked on the details of their Phantom's next assignment.

"What was so important that you had us both rushing over here at this hour?" Sharpay asked as she flicked a piece of hair over her shoulder and glared at her brother. He turned in his seat and grinned at her coolly, not making a move to answer her question as he went to retrieve a couple of wine glasses. Offering one to Taylor, who not so politely refused, he chuckled and set down the two he held in his hand, filling them with Chardonnay. Handing one over to Sharpay, he sat down on his couch, sipping his wine delectably.

"I don't get a 'Hi,' or even a 'How are you doing?' Ms. Evans, I'm quite hurt." His mocking tone earned him another glare from Sharpay as she set her glass down and put her hands on her hips.

"Spare me the jokes. Tell me why you wanted me here."

Scythe gave a heavy sigh before letting his façade drop and put his glass down, his arms crossing over his chest as he leaned his head against the back of the couch.

"It appears that our Zwei is progressing through training as planned. He hasn't once made a fuss. The boy is obedient." He said, his expression unreadable. He cast a glance over towards Taylor before looking back at his colleague, taking note that her stance had somewhat relaxed.

"Well, if one trains that hard every day, I would imagine forming any kind of thought would be difficult." Sharpay responded casually.

"Yes," he agreed, flashing a small smile. "That is precisely how you tame someone. You won't be disappointed in the results, I promise you that." He picked up her glass and handed it to her as he made his way to the other side of the room to his desk.

Smirking like a Cheshire cat, Sharpay took a sip of her wine, marveling at its sweet taste as it lingered on her tongue.

"Do I seem too eager?" She questioned as she followed him and watched as he began typing out the Phantom's new contracted assignment.

"My pawn is your pawn is my pawn, _madame_." Scythe said somewhat jokingly as he continued typing. "But, as we both know, everything is an offering to our dear Inferno."

Taylor leaned her back against the wall and crossed her arms, silently muttering a small sound of disapproval as she listened to the conversation intently, not once taking her eyes off of Scythe as he fingered a manila folder that lay on the desk adjacent to him. Narrowing her eyes, she glanced over at Sharpay and took note of the small scowl that she held on her face.

* * *

><p>Troy squinted as the morning sun shone brightly into his eyes as he drove towards he and Ein's training grounds for the day. For some reason, Ein stated they needed to be there even earlier than usual while she dragged him out of bed and promptly pushed him in the direction of their bathroom. She had already showered and dressed in her usual tight black tank top and black low rise pants and combat boots. Her usual wild curly hair had been straightened to perfection and hung low, brushing against the well-defined dimples on her lower back. She gave Troy a look of indifference as they made their way out of their apartment and towards the car that had been assigned to them for the time being.<p>

Throwing him the keys, she stated she wanted him to drive to see how good he was on the road.

"_In times of desperation when we need to make a quick getaway, the law and its restrictions do not apply to us. You need to know how to control the vehicle you're driving and learn how to weave your way through traffic, no matter how packed it is."_

Speeding along the highway, Troy heard violent honks blaring behind him as he sped along, ripping and weaving through the lanes at lightning speed. Making his way alongside an 18-wheeler that was trying to merge into their lane, Troy stepped on the accelerator, narrowly avoiding colliding with the side of the truck as he passed. Looking in the rearview mirror, Troy was surprised he hadn't caused an accident as he let up the pressure he was putting on the gas pedal to slow the car down so they could pull off the highway and onto the familiar dirt road.

As they pulled up, Troy was surprised to see another car waiting for them in front of the warehouse. He parked alongside it warily, feeling uneasy as he turned the car off and exited the car with Ein. She immediately walked over to the car as its passenger stepped out and greeted him with a formal bow.

"Why, hello, Zwei. Good morning." Scythe greeted, flashing a small smirk his way before diverting his attention to the bowing girl before him. Troy simply stood there, staring as Ein stiffly corrected her posture before calling over her shoulder to him.

"I'm going out for the day. Keep up with the same training routine, I don't know when I'll be back." She stated before making her way over to the passenger door.

"Wait—hold on. Where are you going?" Troy asked.

With her hand on the door handle, Ein stopped as she cast him a short glance over her shoulder. "I have work to do." She responded simply.

Troy didn't need a hint to know what she meant.

"Let's go, Phantom." Scythe demanded calmly as he watched Troy from the corner of his eye.

"Yes, master."

Scythe stared at Troy for a second longer before getting in and slamming the door shut. The car sped off, leaving him in its dust. Blinking in confusion, Troy thought over what he had just witnessed as he made his way into the large building behind him, taking no notice to the silver Lamborghini that was casually parked next to the warehouse, obscured from view by the overcast of the building's shadow.

_She called him master. _

Placing the manila folder in his passenger's lap, Scythe's fingers lingered over the document as he cast a glance in Ein's direction. She sat in perfect posture, her eyes unblinking as they stared out towards the open road. Her hair blew around her still frame carelessly from the wind that blew in through the open window. His kept his fingers there as he began to trace patterns on the folder that lie in her lap, not noticing how the girl stiffened slightly at his actions.

"This will be your first sniping assignment in a while," he spoke, a smile evident in his voice. "But I'm sure that will be no problem for you. Seven-hundred yards to the target; I have a .308 caliber Remington waiting for you. Be aware that the weather at your location will be cloudy with a slight breeze and should remain that way until tomorrow morning. Everything you need to know is in the envelope." He removed his hand from her lap and caressed her cheek briefly before taking his hand away entirely.

"Do you have any questions?"

"No, sir."

"Good. By the way, how is Zwei doing?"

"The initial training phase is complete. He will be starting a new regimen tomorrow."

Smirking, Scythe leaned his head back as the car came to a stop.

"I'm thinking of running a skills test for him soon. We'll see how good he really is."

**幻影**

Troy decided since he didn't know when Ein would be coming back he would take the liberty to cleaning their guns like Ein had shown him a couple of weeks ago. The _clicks_ and _clacks_ of gun cartridges being disassembled could be heard throughout the tiny room as Troy worked diligently. He was so absorbed in his work he didn't notice another presence in the room until the last second as he froze and looked behind him. The blonde vixen flashed him a small smile as she stepped inside of the room, her heels clicking softly on the dusty linoleum floor.

"Oh don't mind me. Continue what you're doing." She said playfully as she made her way over to him and leaned back on the desk, her eyes shielded by the aviators she wore on her heart shaped face. Troy found himself gulping as he noticed her chest was barely concealed by her blouse as she leaned over. "I should start off with hello; my name is Sharpay Evans."

He shook his head and returned his focus down to the semi-automatic he held in his hand as he resumed polishing its barrel. Sharpay frowned a little before putting on another smile.

"Aren't you curious to know more than just my name?" She inquired, making herself comfortable as she watched him as he rubbed the gun down with a cotton cloth, his moves slow and deliberate.

"No." He deadpanned as he put down the gun and moved on to the one beside it. Whoever this woman was, she was keeping him from his work. He needed to finish and train.

"Surely you've got to have some questions about the organization that took you in—Inferno." She laid her hand over the grip of the gun he was holding and waited for him to look up at her. His eyes were stone cold as he spared her a glance before gently pushing her hand aside as he began to rub down where she touched. She chuckled coolly.

"I'm taking your lack of response as an affirmative. Inferno is—," she paused briefly, trying to get her words just right. "Well, in a world of no legal order, it is a group that aspires to the creation of a different kind of order. Try this: if we were to compare gangs and mafia families to countries then Inferno would be somewhat like the United Nations. Our goal is to unify the underground world, although, such an idealistic goal would have been laughable if not condemnable a couple of years ago. But we now have something that will make all of this possible."

She leaned in to whisper in his ear and grinned when he noticeably stiffened at her closeness.

"I mean Phantom." She breathed huskily in his ear. He froze and looked at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. "Yes, your faithful instructor. The power of Phantom is…absolute." She leaned in even closer, the tip of her nose tickling Troy's as she gave him a playful grin before backing away. "She performs all of her tasks without fail. Her mere existence gives Inferno the confidence we need to fulfill our goal. It's the fear, the tremendous fear organizations have of her that keeps them from defying Inferno. She is truly the most powerful assassin in the world and a well-trained one at that."

The gun in his hand clicked as he reloaded its cartridge with a new set of ammunition.

"Hold on." He said suddenly, causing Sharpay to freeze as she looked at him questioningly.

_So, he can speak after all._

"She's just someone like me that's being used for your people then, am I right?" His voice was dull and lifeless as he examined the semi-automatic pistol in his hand, making sure everything was aligned correctly before placing it down in front of him. "That means she and I have no choice but to live like slaves."

Sharpay removed her sunglasses and placed them on the desk next to Troy's arm as she stood and walked over to the window adjacent to the desk, her arms crossed over her chest. He began to think he may have crossed the line and was about to open his mouth to apologize when she spoke first.

"It's true that we're forcing the both of you to live this way," she admitted softly as she sent him an apologetic half smile. "But, you are not slaves. You have freedoms of which you're not aware. Like speed."

"How so?" He pressed; his attention fully on her as he turned in his seat.

"Though your path may be set, you can gain as much speed down that path as you'd like. You just need the desire to progress. And if you're fast enough, you may even be able to reach the top." She stared at her hand absentmindedly as Troy waited for her to go on. "What you do to get to the top, however, is your choice and yours alone. I cannot make that choice for you."

_Where have I heard that before?_ Troy thought somewhat bitterly as he recounted the encounter with Ein the first night he woke up here.

She smiled once more as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and approached him again until she was hovering just over his chair, moving her hands to each of his shoulders as she gripped them gently.

"Now don't ever think of yourself as a slave again, okay? The way you present yourself colors how other people view you. Act like a slave and you will surely be treated like one." She placed a light kiss on his cheek before standing up abruptly.

"I'd like to stay and chat but I have business to attend to downtown. You think about what I said, Zwei." She put her glasses back on as she walked out of the room, waving behind her as she disappeared down the hallway. "I'll see you later."

Troy blinked as he sat back in chair, wondering exactly what she meant. Had she been implying that maybe he wasn't under Inferno's influence like he thought he was?

_And if that's the case, why did she come out all this way just to tell me that?_

**幻影**

Troy lay in his bed holding the gun he'd been polishing earlier that day in his hand, aiming it upward at the ceiling as the day's events ran through his head. Sharpay Evans, who he learned after she left, had actually been the CEO of Inferno. He still could not figure out why she came to meet him that morning of all times, of all places. Steadying his hands, he took dead aim at a random spot on the ceiling and held it there.

"_Though your path may be set, you can gain as much speed down that path as you'd like. You just need the desire to progress." _

_Desire, _he thought as he closed his eyes. _I'd forgotten the meaning of that word until now. _

What did he really desire? He knew he wanted out but he didn't know how. He wanted to forget this entire experience like one forgets a dream as soon as they wake up. That's all this experience felt like anyway; just one, long, horrific dream.

The door to the bedroom opened and Troy's eyes scanned the room until they landed on Ein. She stood there silently, her eyes downcast as she lugged in a weird shaped case and put it off to the corner of the room. Her hair had been swept up into a high ponytail and her shirt had been pushed up, exposing her smooth, flat stomach. She didn't even look at Troy as she began to undress, kicking off her boots first then moving to her hand gear and clothes. Troy felt himself blush and look away, feeling suddenly intrusive as she casually stripped in front of him. When he looked back, she was clad in nothing more than a black sports bra and black tanga panties as she climbed into bed, her knees folded up to her chest as her back rested against the headboard.

"Ein?"

"Yes?"

"On your job…did you…kill someone?" He whispered the last part as he tried hard to hide his growing anxiety, knowing what her answer would be. He saw her shift around slightly but she still didn't look at him as she rested her head on top of her folded arms. She made a sound in the back of her throat that Troy took as an affirmative.

"How did you get this way?" He motioned to nothing in particular as he sat up and stared at her, wanting to know what drove her to feeling so apathetic about what she did on a weekly basis. "Why do you do it?"

"I don't know." She deadpanned. "They never told me about my life before this."

"Like me."

She nodded slowly, sparing him a glance as he moved over to sit beside her on the edge of her bed.

"That's right. I'm just like you. They erased all of my memories. Everything from my childhood to what I might have been doing before they found me. I don't even remember if I had parents or not. They made me a killer." Her voice shook a little as she allowed herself to think about everything she's missed out on since she became a part of Inferno. Clearing her throat, she shook her head to rid herself of the intruding thoughts. She couldn't let herself become so fragile over things she couldn't remember.

"But, who cares." She shrugged as she returned her gaze to the wall. Troy furrowed his brows as he listened to her. He felt his heart begin to pound painfully in his chest as he listened to her talk, knowing how hard it must have been for her when she first came.

_She must have been as scared as I was_.

"A killer doesn't have a past and doesn't have a future. They have nothing."

"But…this woman named Sharpay, she said—," Ein gave him a look and cut him off.

"You met her?"

"After you and Scythe left, she came by. She assured me that you and I aren't slaves to Inferno. She said that we're free." Even as he said it now, he knew that it was far from the truth. He chanced a look at her and saw that she had her eyes closed and her hands were gripping her bed sheets rather tightly. A look of annoyance crossed her soft features as she slowly unclenched her fists and rolled over onto her side, her back facing Troy.

"If you want to believe that, then go ahead." She said simply. "But, eventually you'll feel nothing just the same as me. To lift the weight of the burden on your shoulders, just turn it off. Someday, you'll be able to do that. You'll understand once you start killing people." She let her eyes drift closed and soon her breathing became shallow as she fell into a deep sleep.

Moving back to his bed, he returned his gaze to the ceiling, letting her chilling words linger in his mind as he listened to her even breathing.

_Once I start killing people, I'll be just like her. Indifferent, detached, unafraid of anything; and the sad part about this is she didn't choose to be this way. _

How long would it be until that happened?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **9 pages/5,588 words. I hope that this was long enough for everyone though I'm not quite pleased with how it turned out to be completely honest. I just wanted to get it posted and out of the way for the time being. But, good news! I'm going to be getting help on my stories from Beta Reader **PrincessDracorex**. I'm not sure how the whole thing works but from what I've learned, she'll hopefully be around to help me get this story out the way I envision it by reading over it and helping me with things I might be struggling on—which in this case is definitely character development and scene changes. They don't seem to flow together well enough for me and it's kind of frustrating. On a positive note, I got **6** reviews on my first chapter. I know that may not be much to gloat about but wow! Six is a lot to me, believe it or not and I'm so happy you guys took the time to read it.

On another note, I checked my e-mail last night and I noticed over 15 people have favorited me and/or this story along with adding it to their story alerts. That's great! That's really great and everything **but**...I would like it if you guys _also_ reviewed. And the reason why I say that is because I need to know what you like and dislike. It'll help me tremendously and may even help me get my chapters out faster [wink, wink]. I don't mean to sound like a review grubber so forgive me for that but I really would like to hear everyone's opinions. They don't necessarily have to be nice, they could contain constructive criticism as well. If you do that for me, I will be forever grateful. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me and let me know. I will gladly answer them.

**Punmpkinking5: **I'm glad you like it! Although, I can't answer all of your questions for fear that that would probably ruin the story but I'm impressed on how deeply you're thinking into this. I like when people ask questions about the story and actually think about the plot rather than just sending praise. I look to questions as future reference, so thank you again!

**Hidden Fantasies: **Thank you very much for reading and I appreciate your review. I hope you stay till the very end.

**Anon: **D'oh! I'm so sorry I knew it would be a bit confusing to some people. But to clear everything up, just know that I will be using Troy's real name throughout the story and he will only be called Zwei when others are addressing him. I'm sorry it's hard to follow but bear with me; I will definitely try to make it more clear in the following chapters.

**Purplepeace: **I am glad that you like it! Here's your update, hon.


	3. Practice

**Phantom of Inferno**

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or Requiem for the Phantom. All original characters do not belong to me and all credit goes toward their rightful owners.**

**A/N:** Here's another chapter! I still didn't like how my last one turned out so hopefully this one can make up for it. **A mild lemon will appear in this chapter **along with **suggestive/coarse language**; so heads up. I won't go into too much detail with it since it kind of makes my skin crawl just thinking about it so I won't make you guys suffer any more than I have to. Another **important author's note **will appear at the end of this chapter so please take the time to read it!

**Synopsis: **Waking up in an abandoned room with no recollection of his former self, Troy Bolton vows to find out who he is—even if that knowledge kills him. What he discovers is more than he ever bargained for as he is thrown into a world full of drugs, sex, and death. How will he ever escape when 'escaping' is nowhere close to being an option?

Rated **T** for the moment but will be **M** rated in later chapters for drug use, suggestive language, violence, and sexually explicit content.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: <strong>Practice

Soft classical music played throughout the Miami loft as Sharpay waltzed around in her pink silk robe, her bare feet padding across the slick black marble floor. Sitting on her leather couch with a wine glass in hand, she pulled out the passport she had kept to herself over the past week. A thumbnail of Troy's smiling face looked up at her as her eyes scanned the small booklet while subconsciously licking her small lips. She took note how his eyes twinkled mischievously and how his tawny locks waved ever so carelessly around his head. How he had one slight dimple on the left side of his mouth when he smiled. Gods, this boy was absolutely perfect.

_And soon, he'll be all mine, _Sharpay thought as she felt the familiar warm sensation pool at the base of her abdomen. She sighed. It wasn't often she got this excited when they found a new recruit. In fact, she never did. Laying her head back, she allowed her bangs to cover her eyes as she felt herself begin to slip away into her own pleasurable heaven. She smirked at her own shameful desires and wondered when she became so perverse. Setting down her glass while still holding the booklet, she let her mind wander off and almost instantly an image of her brother popped into her head.

She felt her body freeze as she allowed herself to remember him and his voice. Her hands began to tremble as she thought back to the night they last spoke as she held him in her arms, not wanting to let go. The memories were blurred and darkened and Sharpay could hardly recall where they had been that night. The only thing she could remember was the look on his face and how it had twisted in pain.

_Ryan, _her mind whispered weakly as her vision blurred with unshed tears. _You were so careless, so free. How could you have allowed that to happen?_ She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she recalled how his eyes had pleaded with her in desperation. He wanted her to do something but what could she have done? The tears silently burst through their dam and trickled down her cheeks. Feverishly wiping them away, she gripped the passport tighter and gave the picture a hard stare.

_Will you really be able to fill his shoes, Troy? Or will you simply be another number? _

"Whatcha got there?" Taylor's voice rang out behind her causing Sharpay to drop the booklet in surprise. Turning around to glare at her grinning companion, she let out a frustrated sigh before retrieving the fallen document from off of the floor. Taylor blinked in surprise before gently taking it out of Sharpay's hands to give it a once-over.

"I thought you would have been on your way to Mexico by now. What are you still doing here?" Her annoyed tone went unnoticed as Taylor looked through the booklet before letting a smirk grace her lips.

"So, this is him." It hadn't been a question. Taylor handed the book back to Sharpay who in turn went back to staring at the thumbnail. She ran her pale thumb over the picture before looking back at her friend who in turn gave her a knowing look.

"Isn't he handsome?" Sharpay asked, returning Taylor's grin with one of her own. Shaking her head, Taylor folded her arms over her chest.

"You're asking the wrong person, girl. I can't tell the difference between those white dudes. From what I can tell, it looks like he doesn't have a single care in the world." She replied coyly. She heard Sharpay chuckle slightly and watched as she ran her thumb across the picture again before closing the booklet entirely. Setting it down on the table in front of her, she picked up her glass and took a small sip, sighing with contentment as the sweet tasting wine slowly made its way down her throat.

"You think he could be a killer?" She asked seriously. A moment of silence passed before she heard Taylor give a small grunt, which she took for a yes.

"Great," she said absently while closing her eyes. "That's exactly what we're looking for."

"Well before I say _adios_, I wanted to come and remind you to be on your best behavior while I'm not around to look after you." Taylor went to stand in front of the robe clad mistress, who gave her a look of indifference before waving her hand dismissively.

"When am I ever not on my best behavior?" Sharpay asked; a mixture of mock innocence and surprise plastered on her face.

"Very funny. I'm serious, Shar," she deadpanned, her stare hardening as she placed her hands on her hips. "I don't want to have to cut my vacation short because your ass just can't seem to keep out of trouble."

Sighing, she put her hands up in defeat.

"Alright, I promise. No shenanigans. At least, not before you get back." Taylor rolled her eyes and made her way towards the door as Sharpay smiled mischievously and twiddled her fingers at her retreating friend's form.

Hearing the door click behind her, Sharpay dropped her charade and stared out at the bright lights of the city.

_Soon, everything will fall into place. I just have to wait._

* * *

><p>Troy grunted as he thrust the blade forward, watching Ein as she dodged it with ease before reverting back with her own attack. Their blades connected with a <em>zing<em> as Troy easily fended off her attack before yanking his blade away from hers and stepping out of arms reach. His pants had been torn and slashed in various places from Ein's relentless 'training methods' and his hair was a tangled, dampened mess. She, on the other hand, looked like the devil's goddess with her raven black hair that seemed to flow around her whenever she moved and never failing to distract Troy as he tried to avoid giving her an unexpected make over. She wore a simple black sports bra and low rise black cargo pants that hung snugly around her hips. She wore her usual footwear along with her fingerless gloves that she had used earlier that day for their unarmed combat training.

"One thing you must remember, Zwei," she said while still in fighting stance. "Is that the knife can be used as both a weapon and a shield. Now then," she lunged at Troy, narrowly catching him in the stomach as she sent a horizontal slash his way. He dodged back and found himself having to take a defensive approach as she began to attack him mercilessly. As she swept her arm straight down, he managed to block her attack only to be caught in the stomach by her free hand. He gasped and doubled over, his vision blurring slightly from the unexpected blow. He didn't have time to react as her free hand connected again with his jaw while simultaneously sweeping his feet out from under him with one of her legs. The wind rushed out of his lungs in a single _whoosh_ as the air was knocked out of him. Troy stared blankly up at the sky as he tried to process what had happened.

"While your deflecting enemy attacks, you must remember that you have one hand open to attack with." He heard her call out to him from somewhere across the training grounds. He managed to sit up with much effort before sending a wary gaze her way. She stood there valiantly, her olive skin glistening from the thin layer of sweat that hung to her body. Her lips were slightly parted and he could hear tiny pants as she quietly tried to catch her breath. If she was as tired as he was, he knew she was trying hard not to show it. For a split second, he thought he saw her eyes glaze over with what appeared to be sadness. But as quickly as it came, it went away just as fast if not faster as she noticed him staring quizzically at her.

Troy had a sudden thought as he recalled the night she and him first met in the warehouse that stood a mere forty yards away from where they were sparring. He recounted the way she had moved and how…restrained her movements had been. Of course he hadn't noticed before due to the fact that he was trying to fight for his life but now that they were practicing like this, he noticed a definite change in her approach. He scowled and for a moment he actually felt offended.

"That night we fought…you were taking it easy on me, weren't you?" He sent a cold glare in her direction when she didn't respond and promptly stood up; ignoring his body's protests as he quickly lunged for her.

Surprised by his sudden fury, Ein took a step back before quickly recovering and matching his attacks with her own. They seemed to dance around each other, the clang of their blades and the whistle of the wind acting as their music. He saw her wince slightly as the tip of his blade grazed across her forearm, leaving a small jagged cut. She grabbed the front of his shirt and turned away, pulling forward to bring him down to his knees, a move he hadn't anticipated at all as he lost his footing and followed her down. Thinking quickly, Troy put his forearms under hers and pushed her arms upward in a submission hold.

He grinned to himself in triumph but began to frown when he saw her shake her head in disapproval. Twisting one of her arms out his grasp, she elbowed him in the stomach and twisted around to place her blade on the tip of his nose. He looked at her with widened eyes as she gave him a small smirk.

"Never rely on submission holds. Remember that there is a knife." With that, she wiggled out of his grasp and stood up, giving Troy a somewhat apologetic look as he slumped over in defeat. She extended her arm and offered him her hand, surprising him yet again at her sudden act of kindness. He hesitantly took her partially gloved hand in his own and allowed her to help him up, his eyes transfixed on the cut he left on her arm. He watched as a thin trail of blood made its way down to her wrist before dropping to the warm earth below them.

"Hey, are you going to be alright? I didn't mean to actually cut you." He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. She looked at him with an unreadable expression before she examined the cut on her forearm. She used a dainty finger to smooth the blood away from the cut as she checked to make sure it wasn't deep.

"It's a superficial wound," she spoke softly. "It will heal in a few days." She turned to walk away before she stopped short and looked back, giving him a small half smile. "Thank you for checking. That was…nice of you." She struggled to get the words out of her mouth as she suddenly became tongue-tied. She felt her cheeks heat up as his icy blue eyes analyzed her.

_Why is he just staring like that?_

He walked closer to her, his expression unreadable as he reached out and gently grabbed her arm. She suddenly felt very small as he examined the cut himself, his thumb grazing over the red welted wound carefully as if he were afraid he would cause her more pain.

"I'm really sorry."

"Don't…apologize. We were training." Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes met his. His hand had already stopped its motions and Ein noticed how he was just holding it then. She was unaware that they had moved closer to each other and felt her heart begin to pound in her chest as she took in his appearance. His hair, though dirty and unkempt, was beautifully side swept and seemed to reflect the sun's rays. His eyes, which had once been full of fire and life, were dull and mysterious—yet strangely all the more attractive to her. Ein felt the sudden urge to run her fingers through his hair just once. Before she could act on her impulse however, an abrupt honk in the distance seemed to snap the both of them out of their trance as they leapt back from each other. She shook her head and mentally scolded herself for letting that—whatever _it_ had been—happen.

Turning her back to Troy, she walked over to the source of the noise and was surprised to see Scythe standing just outside of the car, his arms crossed and his sunglasses hiding his eyes as he motioned for her to get in. He wore a casual button down white shirt with blue denim jeans and black penny loafers. His hair was wild and disheveled—which was completely out of the norm for Scythe. Ein hid her confusion as she obediently got into the vehicle and looked through the window at Troy who hadn't moved from his spot.

_Zwei. _

The car quickly sped off and she found herself staring until Troy was just a mere speck in her line of sight. She didn't even react when Scythe placed a rough hand on her thigh and slowly began to stroke it, wasting no time as the car took the familiar route back to his apartment.

"Ein," he spoke, his voice gruff with anticipation. "I need you for an important assignment. I believe you already know what it is." She acknowledged him with a glance before returning her gaze out of the window, taking note not to flinch or move away from his wandering hand.

It had always been this way. For five years and counting, not only was she considered as Inferno's greatest investment, Scythe also considered her his greatest invention. She was the perfect killer, the perfect manipulator, the perfect actor—and when it counted the most in Scythe's case—the perfect lover. When she was first awakened, she had no sense of reality. She couldn't decipher lies from the truth and strangely, she hadn't cared. When she had first gone through trial and tribulations to satisfy Inferno's needs, she never questioned why they had her doing what she did. She never questioned her whereabouts or even if she had a family—not that it mattered.

Through it all, she always had Scythe.

Scythe had been there to guide her, to train her, and to care for her when she had no one. It only made sense she paid him back by protecting him and the organization with her life. Or so she'd been told. By the time the car slowed to a stop, Scythe had already opened the door and gotten out of the car, dragging Ein out with him. He grasped her gloved hand in his large, calloused one while he fumbled around in his pocket for his apartment key. She watched as he unlocked and threw open the door, kicking it closed behind the both of them before bringing her small body close to his.

**A/N:** _Mild lemon starts here. If you are not comfortable reading stuff like this, please skip it. _

She closed her eyes as she felt his rough lips crash onto hers hungrily while his hands ravished her clothed body, grasping and fondling everything he could. She hated when he was like this though she would never openly voice her opinion. She didn't mind that he used her for his own personal gain when he needed to. After all, he was the one who took her in and cared for her. She wasn't in the position to protest when he wanted something in return for his generosity. She let her mind wander far off as he continued to fondle her, his hot breath on her neck as he kissed it tenderly, leaving a wet trail in his wake.

"Disrobe."

Taking a step back from her mentor, she numbly obeyed. She removed her gloves and shoes first before removing her bra, taking special care not to look at the man in front of her as he watched her with lust-filled eyes. She shivered as the air hit her bare chest and closed her eyes as she felt his hands move around her waist, undoing the top button of her pants. Lying on the couch behind her, she lifted her hips as she allowed him slide off her pants and underwear and listened as he quickly undressed himself, throwing his clothes to the other side of the room. He cupped one of her breasts in his hand and squeezed roughly, smirking when he saw her grimace and blush. He continued his ministrations while he lowered his head to her other breast, nipping the perk nipple with his teeth.

"You're so beautiful, my pet." She felt his hot breath on her skin as he kissed the valley between her breasts, grinding his hips against hers. She lifted her eyes to meet his and watched as he removed the last of his clothing while still admiring her body. She remained inaudible as he moved back up and planted needy kisses across her jaw line, collarbone, and neck. She shuddered from the contact and let out a small gasp when he kissed her again, giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. She gave up trying to resist and returned the kiss, much to his satisfaction. Their tongues tangoed together, both fighting to obtain dominance. She rested her forearms on his broad, pale shoulders and linked her hands together around his neck as she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

No matter how much she didn't want it, she knew her efforts to avoid the matter were futile. It only made sense to go with the flow and get it done as fast as possible.

_Just turn it off,_ she thought solemnly as he broke the kiss and positioned himself in between her legs, readying himself at her slick entrance. _Let go and it will be over_.

"You're so beautiful." She heard him whisper as he slowly and painfully took her once again. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped his shoulders with her fingers as his need for her became more vigorous and demanding with each and every thrust. She met him automatically with her own practiced passion, never once letting him see how much pain she felt.

_I owe it to master for everything he's given me. I must make him happy._

Ein finally let go and the sounds of her soft cries were the only sounds that could be heard ringing throughout the darkened apartment room.

**A/N: **_Mild lemon over. For those wondering, yes this is my very first time writing anything smut-like so I'm aware that it wasn't good at all. _

**幻影**

"Mr. Cross, its Evans." Sharpay spoke softly as she made her way over to a nearby diner. "Sorry to disturb you but we have a situation that needs to be taken care of. Apparently, one of our guys stumbled upon something questionable earlier today in Tampa. He refused to verify what said thing was and demanded I meet him down here last night. I know you're in the area so would you mind coming down and meeting me in the diner on the corner of Elk and Martin Street?"

Not waiting for a reply, she shut her phone and strode into the small diner, noticing how few people were there during the day. Spotting her man, she slowly approached the table, taking special care not to startle him as she seated himself across from him in their booth. He glanced up from his coffee mug to stare at her, a grim expression set on his face. His eyes were red rimmed and dull as he returned his gaze to his mug, twirling the coffee with a small spoon.

"So," she began as she sat back and folded her arms over her chest. "What is it you wanted to talk about so urgently, Mr. Roberts?"

The said man grunted in reply before shaking his head and giving her a stern look.

"Look, I'm not your average freaking everyday jerk-off, alright? I've busted my ass trying to help you people." He spoke slowly and deliberately as if he were trying to convince himself of what he was saying.

"I fully understand that." Sharpay watched as his eyes shifted to look over her head and sighed again.

"I see you brought reinforcements."

She smirked as she heard her associate, Jason Cross, chuckle beside her as he took note of the sarcasm that had seeped into their client's voice. Roberts ran a hand through his thinning hair as he pushed his coffee away, suddenly not in the mood to drink it anymore.

"What is it you wanted us here for?" Jason asked calmly. Under his cool demeanor, Sharpay could tell he wasn't in the mood for games. He wore a black business suit with a light blue collared shirt underneath that clung to his body so well. His hair had been slicked back and he smelled distinctly of a soothing aftershave. His chestnut brown eyes were blank and void of any emotion that gave way to what he was thinking.

"You know, it's because of my dedication and my work that I've been able to get you guys all of those beautiful guns you like to flaunt around with your so-called 'Phantom'." Roberts pointed out as he stared Sharpay directly in the eye, ignoring her partner entirely.

"And your dedication has not gone unnoticed, Lieutenant. I can assure you of that," Jason spoke up, crossing his arms behind his back as he continued to stare coolly at the man before him. Roberts nodded and gave him a brief once over before returning his attention to Sharpay.

"But we were unprepared for so sudden a visit," Sharpay said, her eyes narrowing as Roberts looked away.

"It's just my crappy luck. My first vacation in a long while and I walk in on a goddamn crime scene."

The two officials before him seemed unfazed by the news, however. Jason and Sharpay exchanged subtle glances before looking back at the man before them, who had already begun fiddling with his cup again.

"Yes, that is quite unfortunate." Jason said at last, his small smirk never faltering. "This situation has only been compounded further due to the victim's position in the FBI. You knew him, per chance?"

Stunned, Roberts' head snapped up as he gave Jason a questioning look before shaking his head.

"No, I didn't. And I have no idea why the hell the Feds fingered me neither." He frowned and averted his gaze. He didn't notice how the smile slowly disappeared from Jason's face as it was replaced with a slight scowl.

"Neither do we, Lieutenant."

"The heat probably won't die down until they catch the suspect and right now, I'm high on their list due to the fact that out of all people, I was the one who found him. It may be in your best interest if Inferno threw me a line here." Lt. Roberts smirked as he slid an envelope across the table. "Here's ten-thousand. That's half of your pay out. Get me out of this and I'll give you the rest."

Sharpay reached and picked the envelope off of the table, handing it over to Jason. He stuffed the envelope on the inside of his suit before letting a small smile grace his features.

"You know, I hear the Caribbean is lovely this time of year, Lieutenant. Maybe we can arrange a flight for you tonight."

* * *

><p>As dusk quickly approached, Troy felt himself become anxious. Something about today just didn't feel right. His self-training sessions ended quicker than they normally did and usually he wouldn't have to wait more than a few hours before Ein returned. She'd been gone for an entire day now.<p>

_How long do these assignments of hers usually take? _

He sat with his back against the cool metal of a discarded oil bin while absentmindedly taking a sip from his water bottle. His scuffed boots shone dully in the peach glow of the setting sun as he stood up and slowly made his way around to the front of the warehouse when he heard a car pull up. Scythe stepped out dressed in a formal white suit and white dress shoes with a black undershirt that had the first three buttons undone. His hair had been slicked back in its usual sophisticated style and on his fingers he wore an assortment of rings. Next to get out alongside him was Ein, whose hair had been pinned back in a half-up, half-down style. Her thick side bang hid her profile from view as she turned to acknowledge the man on the opposite side of the vehicle.

Troy couldn't make out the choice words that were being said but he saw Ein give a brief nod before turning around and walking into the warehouse, motioning for Troy to follow her. He quickly complied and slipped inside the dank building, wondering exactly what was going on.

"You were gone all night. What were you doing?" He asked curiously. He heard no answer as they wandered deeper into the building before turning a corner and stopped just outside of a dimly lit closet. Ein turned to him, her expression silencing any further questions he may have had. Opening the door, she made her way inside with quick, even steps, stopping short in front of a weapon shelf.

Coming up beside her, his eyes scanned the collection in awe as he took in all the weapons that were there on display. The weapons ranged from semi-automatics to mini machine guns and he felt his hands begin to tremble just looking at them.

"Select the firearm you feel the most comfortable with," she commanded softly. He gulped.

_I've never seen so many guns in one place_, he thought while taking hold of the semi-automatic he was so used to training with.

"More training, I presume?" He asked nonchalantly, watching an unreadable expression flicker across his comrade's face before it vanished. She shook her head as they heard another car pull up outside.

"No, not exactly; more like a test." She corrected him, watching him stiffen slightly.

Narrowing his eyes, he stared hard at her, not sure if he heard her correctly. She gave him a blank look in return, allowing any sort of doubt he had disappear as it slowly dawned on him that this was the real deal. The time for him to truly prove himself as an assassin was imminent. He stared at the cold steel in his hands and gripped it tightly, not knowing whether he was ready—much less able—to take another person's life.

Who would they have him kill?

"_Just what the fuck are you guys trying to pull? This doesn't look like the goddamn airport to me!" _A deep, masculine voice bellowed, causing Troy to turn his attention to the doorway leading out into the dark corridor. He wasn't anticipating on them bringing his target _there_—to his own training grounds. He felt a nudge in his side as Ein made her way past him, not sparing him a glance as she walked towards the source of the noise at a brisk pace, her shoes making whispers of a sound over the concrete flooring.

Outside, in the clearing, stood a burly man who appeared to be in his mid-forties or early fifties. He wore a simple peach collared shirt over khaki pants and worn brown boots. In front of the man stood people Troy recognized—or at least some of them. He identified Sharpay by her voice as she quietly told the man before her to calm down. Scythe stood there among the group, his hands stuffed casually in his pockets as he stood there looking on in amusement at the scene unfolding before him. Beside him stood a man Troy didn't recognized but assumed he was there to witness Troy's talents along with the others.

The burly man kept his arm hovering over his eyes, shielding them from the light of the high beams the two vehicles emitted. Troy heard the guy growl in frustration as he gave the people around him accusing looks, his eyes wild with hatred.

"The esteemed Scythe," Sharpay began, her voice playful as she introduced the two men to each other. "Meet one of the U.S. Navy's elite seals, Lieutenant Roberts."

Scythe gave the man a look of indifference before casting a glance behind him and smirking slightly upon the sight of Troy. He bowed his head in Troy's direction and watched as the lieutenant in question turned around to look at the two people behind him.

_Another Inferno member?_ Troy wondered before looking over to the silent bronzed woman who stood far behind the group, her face giving away her irritation. He noticed the small handgun that was strapped to her waist, hidden just behind the flap of her jacket.

_That's a semi-automatic, _he realized as his eyes made his way back to her face. He analyzed her briefly and looked away as soon as she returned his gaze. _Is she a bodyguard? _

The man in front of Troy interrupted his thoughts as he whirled back around to face Sharpay.

"Just what the hell is going on?" He demanded to know.

Sharpay smirked deviously as she closed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest, leaning back against her car lightly.

"You've been a very bad boy, Lieutenant." She responded, opening her eyes just in time to catch the stunned expression that crossed the said man's face. "If only you'd been a bit more inconspicuous. However, due to your insatiable appetite has led you to the traffic of terrorists and now the FBI is suspecting this act of foul play was an inside job, if you catch my drift."

"But I—," He started to speak, only to be cut off by Sharpay's next choice of words.

"Discretion is paramount to the existence of Inferno. We will not risk being discovered because of a reckless liability."

"So you're gonna do me like that?" Roberts felt his fists clenched at his sides as he tried to control his anger. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid as to believe that these people would actually try to help him. They were a bunch of power-hungry killers after all.

"Do you agree with our decision, sir?" Sharpay asked, ignoring him entirely as she glanced over towards her boss. Scythe nodded, a smirk slowly growing on his face as he took a few steps towards their former client.

"Lieutenant, Inferno is prepared to provide you with a bail-out mission. You can run."

"What do you mean?"

"We will delay our search for ten minutes. After that time has passed, we will send someone to intercept you. Escape and you may live. If not, well, you'll be meeting the rest of your family soon enough." Scythe said, glancing down at his Rolex that hung loosely on his wrist before looking over towards Jason.

"Mr. Cross, do you think this is a fair exchange?"

The dark haired man in question nodded his head and flashed a small smirk.

"Then it is done. Inside this building, you will find a well stocked armory. Take whatever you wish."

"What the hell is this?" Roberts asked, his anger slipping away and being replaced by fear.

"This is an opportunity to win your life by sheer force of will and determination. It will also serve as a test of skills. I think this offer is more than fair, Lieutenant." Scythe replied while shrugging.

The wind had slowly begun to pick up and whistles could be heard in the warehouse behind the group. It scattered the loose sand and debris around their feet as Roberts clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, making sure he got a good look at everyone.

"I stuck my goddamn neck out for you people!" He nearly shouted.

"Time is of the essence, Lieutenant," The vixen before him warned as she casually tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't waste it."

Troy watched as the man's hands drop down to his sides in defeat and heard him utter a curse under his breath as he took off into the warehouse, pushing past Ein in the process. She looked back at his retreating figure before letting her eyes meet with his once again. She walked out ahead and leaned against the cool metal wall that stood behind her, folding her arms over her chest.

"The situation is just as you heard," he heard Scythe say. "This is your test as well, Zwei. You will kill that man."

Troy felt his eyes widen in bewilderment. He felt his breath hitch in his throat as he looked around at the group of people that stood before him and immediately noticed all eyes were on him. Sharpay sent a small, subtle wink his way and her bodyguard beside her nodded her head in his direction. Finally locking eyes with Scythe, he flinched as the man gave him a smug grin.

"How does not concern me," he continued, taking note of the ill expression that was set on his recruit's face. "Just complete the task."

"But I'm not ready—my training…" he trailed off and looked to Ein for help. He silently hoped that she would get him out of the predicament he was currently being thrown into but was only met with disappointment when she shook her head, clearly disregarding him.

"Your training is complete. You performed very well—amazingly well. I believe you're ready for an actual mission."

"To garner such accolades from the Phantom of Inferno herself, you should feel honored; let her words bring you courage." Sharpay cooed. Her statement struck a raw nerve in Troy as he turned on them, his voice taking a heavy berating tone.

"Courage? You're talking about murder here! How can you guys be so casual about all of this?" He spit, knowing he was crossing the line. His fists shook as his nerves began to get the best of him and he turned away, his eyes meeting with the darkness that currently occupied the warehouse before him.

"It's time to begin," Ein announced from behind him.

"I can't—no, I _won't_. I won't kill him." Troy said firmly. He squeezed his eyes shut as if to will away the feeling of dread that had formed in the pit of his stomach. With his back still turned to her, he reacted too late when she removed the gun he had tucked in his waist carrier. Whirling around, he was met with the barrel of his own gun as it was abruptly shoved in his face. Its holder stared at him solemnly as she pulled back the hammer and placed her finger on the trigger guard, letting him know she was dead serious.

"You only have two options to choose from, Zwei. You can either accept the terms of your new life or you can die right here where you stand." Even though her tone was icy, her eyes were almost pleading with him to reconsider. He couldn't help the slight whimper that escaped his lips as he stared at the metallic instrument. Letting out a long sigh, Troy took hold of the gun and waited for her to release her grip on it before flipping it around in his hand so the barrel was facing downward.

Before another word could be said, Troy took off into the building, his figure disappearing in the darkness.

"What are your thoughts, Phantom?" Scythe inquired, leaning in close to whisper into the girl's ear.

"Lieutenant Roberts is a highly skilled and well-trained adversary. He also possesses much more actual combat experience. But Zwei's instincts are extremely sharp and if he can maintain his focus just long enough to get through tonight, then I do believe it will give him the ultimate advantage."

"What are his odds of survival?" Sharpay asked softly.

"It's a fifty-fifty chance. But this exercise will definitely enable us to acquire his true skills as an assassin."

**幻影**

The howling wind echoed around the warehouse as Troy slipped in and out of the shadows, his gun cocked upright in his gloved hands. He pressed his back to the wall and kept low, his eyes scanning the dimly lit hallways for any signs of movement. Quickly making his way behind a stack of wooden crates, he double-checked for any signs of movement behind the two doorways that stood at the end of the hallway before moving on. He climbed up the ladder that led to a walkway on the second floor. The rusted bars groaned under his weight and he feared for a split second that he may have just given away his position.

He halted his movements and strained to hear any noises that indicated his target may have learned of his position. After waiting two minutes and spotting nothing out of the ordinary, he scampered the rest the way up the ladder and hauled himself onto the walkway, making sure his feet landed softly on the floor below him.

_Which weapon did he choose?_ He wondered. Ein's voice suddenly popped into his head as he reminisced the first day he began target practice with her.

"_Anytime you are pursuing a target, try to think from the perspective of the one running. But be aware—your enemy can do this as well and anticipate your movements." _

Hearing a scrape of a shoe, Troy quickly darted behind a shelf and cautiously peeked down to the floor below him. He spotted the man crouching behind a large pipe that ran up the peeling wall beside him, his head turned in the direction opposite from Troy. Readying his pistol, he lined his sights up with the back of the man's head and slowly let his finger slide down over the trigger and squeezed. A shot rang out in the silent room, startling both Troy and the man before him. The bullet ricocheted off the pipe beside the man, just barely missing his shoulder by a few inches.

Roberts spun around and pointed his gun up towards Troy, his brows furrowed in determination. Troy scowled and pointed his gun again, making sure to aim correctly so he wouldn't miss.

_Hit the mark…_

"Wait!" Roberts called out suddenly, dropping his gun beside his feet and standing up with his hands raised. "Don't shoot, please." He kicked the gun with the tip of his shoe and Troy watched as it slid a good fifteen feet away from where the man stood. He looked back over to the man with questioning eyes but still kept his gun pointed.

"I'm now unarmed so please listen." Troy complied and lowered his gun slightly, just enough so the man could see his face clearly but not enough to be taken lightly. The man kept his hands above his head as he took a few tentative steps forward.

"I don't know why they're making a guy your age do something like this. It's barbaric. Just think for a second—there's absolutely no reason for us to kill each other." Troy's hold on his gun loosened as it dangled limply in his hands. He stared down at the guy below him, his words echoing in his head.

_Maybe he's right._

"Hey kid, you got a family right? You actually remind me of my little brother. He'll be graduating from college soon and I'd like to see him when he gets out. I've been doing everything I can to take care of him. He means the world to me."

Ein's small voice made its way into Troy's mind, effectively blocking out the man's choice words.

"_If you see one rat, there are thirty more. Just as if someone tells one lie, they will tell others." _

Troy's eyes roamed over Roberts' stiff frame and frowned slightly when he noticed a glint from behind the man's shirt. Squinting, he could make out the handle of a small .22 revolver that had been carefully tucked in the waistband of his pants.

"_A craftsman has more than one tool. An assassin should be no different." _

"They're using us you know," Roberts stated with a grim expression. He lowered his hands slowly, not removing his eyes from Troy's face. "Inferno doesn't give a rat's ass about us. We should be going after them, don't you think?"

Troy sent an icy glare in Roberts' direction before he fired again, barely grazing his target's left arm. Roberts scowled and pulled out the revolver, firing a couple of shots behind him as he made his escape. Troy ducked behind the shelf and uttered a small curse as he lost sight of Roberts once more. Taking the back stairs that led down to the basement, Troy quickly followed to where he believed Roberts was last headed. Sweat crept slowly down his forehead and his cheeks as he slowed, becoming instantly alert of all his surroundings. He walked at a brisk pace keeping each of his steps deliberate and calculating. He checked each of the hallways he walked past but found himself at a dead end when he couldn't find clues to where his target ran off to.

A shot rang out and at that same instant Troy gasped in pain and grabbed the upper part of his arm tightly as he stumbled over, feeling the warm liquid seep between his spread fingers and down the back of his hand. His gun fell to the ground with a _clang_ beside him as he ducked behind a wall. Around the corner from him, Roberts jumped down from his hiding spot and put his foot down on the gun Troy had previously been holding and kicked it away from him. Smiling deviously, he leaned over and was met with a fierce glare as Troy backed away still holding his injured arm.

"Game over you little prick." Roberts grunted and sent a flying kick into Troy's chest. He grunted in pain but remained upright as he used his uninjured arm to help him slide away from any more attacks that may have been sent his way.

"I can't tell you how many assholes like you I've seen in my lifetime—too afraid to close the deal and pull the fucking trigger." Roberts spat as he loomed over Troy like a predator observing its prey. He leaned down and forced Troy to halt his movements and look up at him as he grinned wickedly in his face. "Here, I'll show you how you kill somebody."

He grabbed Troy by the throat and squeezed tightly, watching as the boy struggled to breathe. Troy squeezed his eyes shut as dots began to dance around his vision and clawed at the man's hand with his own. With his free hand, he sent a forceful punch that connected with the side of his attacker's head, temporarily stunning him. He used that opportunity to sit up fully and try to grab the gun out of his hand but Roberts was quicker. The man grabbed him by the hair and proceeded to smash the side of his head into the wall, his smile growing wickedly as Troy slumped over onto the ground, blood trickling down the side of his face.

"Killing somebody ain't something you can take lightly neither, kid. Now keep watching," Roberts chuckled as he leaned down and pressed his boot down on the fallen man's chest. His eyes flashed dangerously as he pulled back the hammer and rested it against Troy's temple.

"_When all else fails, let your target believe that they have won. When one becomes swallowed up in their own pride, they become reckless. Use their cockiness to your advantage." _

Opening his eyes, Troy pulled out the dagger he had hidden in his pants and smirked slightly when Roberts looked at him with a stunned expression. He didn't give him time to react as he thrust the newly sharpened blade into Roberts extended arm and watched as he screamed in pain, dropping his gun in the process. Troy didn't hesitate as he grabbed the pistol and pointed it directly at his target's forehead. His expression was set and his eyes were glazed over as he looked Roberts in the eye before pulling the trigger.

The single shot rang throughout the halls and the echoed sound made its way outside to where Scythe and the others stood. Sharpay felt herself flinch at the signifying bullet, knowing that it would be the last one to be heard that night. She let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and felt a firm hand clasp her shoulder. She glanced behind her and nodded when Taylor gave her a small, reassuring smile.

The man's body gave slight spasm before slumping over in a bloody heap, his head rolling to rest on his shoulder lazily. His blood flowed around the both of them, making a thick sticky puddle around Troy's legs as he stared at the body, unmoving. It took him a second to realize what had transpired before he brought trembling hands up to his face and used them to cover his eyes. His hold body shook with anguish as he reveled in what he had done.

_He's dead. Oh _god_, he's dead. _

He didn't hear the footsteps as Ein slowly approached him and took in the scene before her. Her hard expression softened slightly when she heard the dry sob that escaped from Troy's lips and immediately stepped over the body to go to him. She crouched down beside him and ran a small finger down the side of his cheek, not knowing how to really console him. He looked up at her with haunted eyes before dropping his head to stare at the ground; his body slumped over in remiss.

"You did very well for your first time." She stated softly, resting a small hand on his back. He didn't react at all to her touch. The blood on the side of his face had already begun to dry and harden but Troy took no notice of it. He'd done it. He actually killed someone. The reality of it shocked him to the very core.

"Why…" he spoke in a broken whisper. "This is all just a dream, right?" He didn't even know if the words had even come from his mouth. The voice that spoke sounded so foreign to him.

_The voice of a killer._

"Believe that if it helps, but it will be a very long one. It may just be the beginning. And unless you'd rather die or lose your sanity, you will never wake up from it." Ein whispered.

He remained in his position on the ground, his hands hanging down limply by his sides with his head hung low. His hair hid his eyes from view as he continued to stare absentmindedly at the ground before him. He was no longer shaking, no longer feeling much of…anything. His body felt heavy with remorse.

"I can help you end it, if you want." The raven haired girl beside him whispered in a soothing tone. "It is your choice."

Troy raised his head to stare at her again as she continued.

"These things are yours—your eyes, your ears, your heart. Cast them all aside and become Zwei. See through his eyes, hear through his ears and you will lose all your fear. You will be free." Her chestnut brown eyes burned into his soul as her words sank in. He continued to stare at her, his eyes welling up with unshed tears. He finally shook his head numbly.

"No," he deadpanned weakly. "I can't. I'm not Zwei. I can't be him." He choked out the last part as a lone tear made its way down his cheek, mixing with the dirt and blood. He looked over at the small gun he'd used just moments before and shook his head again.

Ein got up and stood in front of him, her legs on either side of the dead man's body as she raised the gun she held in her hands. She stood there with a cold expression as she leveled it so it was aiming directly at Troy's head. He raised his eyes to look at her, showing no emotion as he stared directly into the barrel of the gun.

"You're absolutely right. I can end it for you. Right now, I can make it so you no longer feel pain. Is that what you desire?" She frowned slightly when he gave her a sad, defeated smile and proceeded to bow his head as if to make it easier on her.

"Please," he pleaded in the same broken whisper. "I'm ready to wake up."

She lowered her gun as her frowned deepened. She felt her heart leap painfully in her chest at the sight of him and closed her eyes, knowing that this is what he truly wanted. She raised her gun and pointed it straight for his heart, planning on making it quick and painless. Troy heard the click of the gun as Ein proceeded to pull back the hammer to her small revolver and knew his end would be coming soon. He felt a small smile grace his lips as he accepted his fate and closed his eyes.

_Let me wake up from this hellish nightmare. Bring me my redemption. _

A final shot rang throughout the building, although it fell upon deaf ears. Troy's body slumped over and leaned against the wall, his eyes opened but unseeing. Ein stepped back and lowered her gun, taking a deep breath and running a shaky hand through her thick tresses before looking back at the unmoving guy on the wall. She cleared her throat and spoke up, noticing he still hadn't moved from where he lay.

"It's over now. You don't exist anymore." She said firmly, tucking her gun back into the carrier strapped to her thigh. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Get up, Zwei."

The boy laid there for a moment before complying, his movements hesitant and stiff as he pushed himself upward into a sitting position before forcing himself to stand. He looked at her with lifeless eyes as he lurched forward before using one of his hands to steady himself. She stepped closer to him and pushed his hair back, taking note of the small gash he'd obtained from his earlier struggle. He continued to stare at her with the same emotionless demeanor as she calmly ran a finger down his cheek before stepping away.

"You passed the test. From now on, you are a part of Inferno."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **13 pages/8,506 words. I meant to update a little while ago but school got in the way along with Writer's Block so I do apologize about that. However, I am feeling a little hesitant with going on with this story just because of the poor feedback I got from the last chapter. I got even less reviews than I did the last time and to be honest, that's really discouraging. I know this is my first fanfic and the way I'm portraying the characters is really OOC but I would love it if people gave this more of a chance than they have been. I see a lot of people have favorited this and even me but for some reason, they aren't leaving feedback on what they like and don't like. I don't know if I want to continue just based on the fact that I got practically nothing within the first three days of me posting the last chapter.

So I ask you all, **should I continue with this or should I stop? **

I'm thinking the latter but that's only depending on the amount of reviews I get this chapter. If I can't seem to reel people in with this chapter then I'm probably not going to continue. It saddens me to say that since I had such high hopes for this but no one seems to be interested. Oh well, tell me what you guys think and hopefully I'll see you in later chapters if I continue.

No replies this time around, sorry.

Bye for now!


End file.
